The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-07-01
As TO Political Duties.
boston Journal.1


The Portland Evening Express, in COM
menting upon the removal Of Superintendent
Stahl. says:
:, II would appear that great Injustice is done
Mr. Stahl In aneging that his removal was for the
Improvement of the service; but when we are
Ioid Inat he never did any political work while
IN ofhee," either Mr.. Stahl Is uniustly accused bv
his friends as well as by his enemies or MS ais
mlssal Is no cause for regret. political neuter
mas mas no place IN government Of for and and by
Ine people. NO man Is relieved OF his political
duties by the fact that he holds an. ofiiee under
the government.
That depends upon what Is regarded as
political duties II to attend caucuses and
exercise the rights Of member Of a politi-
cal party and to vote and to take general
interest in public affairs are political duties.
we are In accord with the Express II. on
the other hand, the devoting Of all the time
an official can get to the running Of caueuses
and conventions and to officious and offensive
meddling with party machinery are the DO
ltieal duties OF an Office-holder, we decided
ly object to the views Of the Express The
offence OF the Federal officer who used TO be
active In politics under Republican manage
ment was that he too often devoted himself
10 the interest OF the men who secured his
appointment. 1t was this fact which made
the term Custom House ring" objection
able TO large element in the Republican
party and made the efforts Of office holders
70 promote party success more mischevous
than useful. The Congressman who had
not sufficient capacity to commend his re-
nomination to the rank and file of his party
always depended upon the Federal
officers In his district to carry, by special
activity or manipulation, the caucuses,
aud thus to insure his denomination.
The. nomination accomplished, the "official
worker was of no further service, but
others were left to get out the vote for a.
weak candidate by appeals to party fealty
BY this sort Of tactics the Republican party
was weakened, factions were created and
States lost by the meddling and bosSism of
Federal officials who became the henchmen
OF unpopular Congressman or made Com
gressmen unpopular by being their
nienehmen. mem In the present administra-
tlen one can see the same mis-
chieyous influences. Indiana was lost to
the Democrats because the President per
mltted Congressman TO name the Federal
officers. In three districts in which conven-
tons were carried and nominations were
made by Federal officers the nominees were
defeated. This Is natural result, since it
Is impossible for few men to run a party
In their personal interest. The one agency
which did more to weaken the Republican
party while 1t was in power than any other
was the power which Congressman had over
the appointments In their districts and In
the public service generally. That will be a
real and the greatest measure Of reform in
the public service which can be devised
whien will prohibit Congressman from die
tatlng appointments Of any character and
which confines their action in regard 10
them to an Endorsement Of the character
and capacity of all applicants. But this we
may be sure Of; The official who would do
ms party the greatest good will carefully
and faithfully attend TO the duties OF his
ONCE and refrain from attempting to control
caueuseS and conventions.